Has anybody burnt their FAD shoes down. I've read the Boot Bulling sticky and am willing to have a go, but it looks like a gigantic pain in the jacks. Before I do, do they bull up ok without this? And in case I screw it up first time, can you pick up another pair easily. They look like bog standard plain Black Shoes to me.

I should have thought the last thing on Earth one would want to introduce to a pair of ORs issued shoes is any form of heat - the soles will melt and probably fall off. I've seen them from afar - they are what I would call RAF shoes - nasty cheap things with a rubber sole.

Burning Down was what we had to do to Boots GS (or Ammo boots, if you prefer) and the old Sandhurst issued brown shoes. These both came in a knobbly leather finish that for the sake of the army had to be made smooth, hence the hot spoons, blow torches, candles, beeswax and gallons of Kiwi.

With yours, I suggest you give them a bloody good scrub with Brasso to remove any grease, a good wipe, wear them for a while to find the creases and then start layering them up before joining the Magic Circle. Or, as many who presently surround me do, get hold of some Nose Cone Paint from an obliging Crab and paint the shagging things.

DON'T BURN DOWN YOUR ******* SHOES!!!! They are as soft as shite to bull. I layered mine with normal shoe polish (kiwi, obviously) heated them over a candle (a hair dryer would do) until the polish goes shiny, this only takes a couple of seconds!!! Repeat about three times. On the fourth, don't heat them up. Just rub over with a cloth and you'll see that they have a bit of shine on already. Wet bull (Takes about 10 mins each shoe), hey presto, they come up like Patent Leather. If you try and burn them down, they'll end up fucked. They really don't need any pre-treatment at all, the leather is that supple. Do what I did for a better shine.
Oxford brogues with triple soles and studs, cost me about 50 quid all in. Leather lustered, wear only for FAD No.2 dress. I use the issue pair for FAD working dress.

DON'T BURN DOWN YOUR ******* SHOES!!!! They are as soft as shite to bull. I layered mine with normal shoe polish (kiwi, obviously) heated them over a candle (a hair dryer would do) until the polish goes shiny, this only takes a couple of seconds!!! Repeat about three times. On the fourth, don't heat them up. Just rub over with a cloth and you'll see that they have a bit of shine on already. Wet bull (Takes about 10 mins each shoe), hey presto, they come up like Patent Leather. If you try and burn them down, they'll end up fucked. They really don't need any pre-treatment at all, the leather is that supple. Do what I did for a better shine.
Oxford brogues with triple soles and studs, cost me about 50 quid all in. Leather lustered, wear only for FAD No.2 dress. I use the issue pair for FAD working dress.

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Don't panic Papa Golf. "Before I do, do they bull up ok without this?" I'll just give them the normal Bulling treatment. So a candle and elbow grease it is.

Queensman - Know about the Brown shoes - that's why I asked the qn. But thanks for that. Reckon I should get some Military Cleats to add a bit of crunch to my Halt Check One Two? Ideally I'd rather wear my Parade Boots that are already bulled rather than these ghastly shoes, still I'm on escort for the Badge and the CO so I'll wear what I'm told.

The molded sole on the issue shoes won't take studs but will take blakeys/segs on the heels. Speak to the Badge cos a lot of units still allow parade boots to be worn with FAD. Bullying up the shoes is a doddle. I just wish it had been that easy 20 years ago when I went through the factory